


Gender Studies 101

by ConfessionForAnotherTime



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Developing Relationship, Gen, Non-Binary North, Non-Binary South, Social Anxiety, non-binary characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 16:12:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2474372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfessionForAnotherTime/pseuds/ConfessionForAnotherTime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>South and North meet York while in college. York doesn't know he's in the wrong class.</p><p>--- </p><p>This is the 5th place winner of my fanfic giveaway. Tumblr user FreelancerArizona asked for a fic about how North and South met York, and by proxy Wash, while in our college AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gender Studies 101

“Okay. This is probably the first Gender Studies class you are taking at this college. As the head of that department, you better get used to my face or switch majors.” Erika giggled excitedly as Nathan sat beside them, fidgeting at the amount of people in the room. Being an entry level class, the arena style seating was decently filled, most of the people filling in toward the back and sides. “That being said, I have your syllabus for you. Take a moment to read through it. You should have already purchased your books for this class, else you will be wading through the line at the bookstore. Since most of you are likely freshmen, you’re probably going to be wading because you don’t know any better.”  
Erika looked over at Nathan. He was focusing on the uneven hem of the cuff of his hoodie, picking at it, when they offered their hand to him. He smiled at them, taking it, relaxing in his chair as their hands rested on Erika’s lap.  
“Erika Dakota?” They raised their other hand as the professor called their name, Nathan’s other hand raising just after them. “Nathan, Erika, are you two related, dating what?”  
“We’re twins. We also usually just go by first initials and our last names.”  
“Ah yes, I remember you mentioning that from the email you sent before class. Thank you.”  
The professor nodded and scribbled a small note in his ledger. The door at the back of the room opened a crack, another student filing in several minutes after the start of class.  
“Your name?” The professor looked up to the young man in the tan hoodie, looking confused and embarrassed.  
“James Albany?” His name came out as a question.  
“Make sure you’re properly registered before showing up to class next time.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
Erika noted James taking a seat in the same row as her and Nathan, taking up the lone seat at the end of their row on the opposite side. After calling roll and going over classroom expectations, he went overgrading policy, papers that were expected of them as well as announcing the small research project that would take up twenty percent of their overall grade for the course. A few groans escaped the participants, but Erika started to scribble down a few ideas that Nathan and they could do for their assignments over the course of the semester. _All project topics must be approved prior to starting project and are required to be conferenced with prior to the end of the fourth week of class. Projects are due the thirteenth week of class._ Easy enough.  
The professor started to talk about the nature of the class, glancing at the varying freshmen giggling each time he said certain words.  
“Right, freshmen.” He pinched the bridge of his nose after pulling off his glasses. “This happens every semester. Okay. Say after me. Penis.” Half of the room looked at one another, with only a few of them actually repeating along. Erika grinned from ear to ear as the word rolled off their tongue.  
“Penis.”  
“Penis.” The class became louder the second time. Erika nudged their brother and he joined in softly.  
“Vagina.” A few more giggles followed, prompting the professor to repeat himself. “I said vagina.”  
“Vagina.” Fewer giggles rolled through the room this time.  
“Anus.”  
“Anus.” Less giggles erupted as the process repeated. Erika looked over, noting that the brunet that had walked in after the start of class had raised his hand.  
“Yes, James.” The professor motioned for him to speak.  
“This isn’t Algebra 100, is it.”  
“That would be two doors down.” James got up to leave, an intense blush spreading across his cheeks as he headed to the exit. The class dissolved into giggles again, random bursts of ‘penis’, ‘vagina’, and other giggle worthy terms floating through the air. The professor pinched the bridge of his nose again.  
“Nevermind. We have ten minutes. You’re all dismissed. Read the first chapter of your textbook by next class.”  
Erika noted the time, slipping out in the last few minutes of class, dragging Nathan along with them. Their hand held tight to his as he pulled his hoodie up after shouldering his bag. The two of them headed over to the student center, pulling out schedules to figure out what building they needed to head to next after lunch and at what time. Earth Science 101, 1400 hours. The current clock read 1143, and the buzz in the student center proved it. Erika spotted James sitting alone by the small convenience store next to the cafeteria and adjacent seating area.  
“Mind if we join you?” They asked, sitting down at the table next to him without waiting for a reply. Nathan sat in next to his sister, taking the spot on the end as he stared at the two of them. Nathan unpacked the snacks he had brought for Erika and himself, pulling apart the ziplock of cashews and dried fruits.  
“Don’t mind at all. Especially when you don’t wait for an answer.” He stuck his tongue out at the twins. “James Albany, but you knew that. Resident dork, walking embarrassment. Friends call me York.”  
“Why York?” South asked, chewing through a mouthful of nuts.  
“Albany, New York? I don’t know. I mean, I’m from there too. What about you two?” York had pulled out a sandwich from his bag, taking a big bite from it.  
“I’m Erika Dakota, and this is my brother Nathan. We’re twins.” York looked at Nathan.  
“You don’t talk much do you?”  
“Not really,” Nathan answered, taking another handful of dried cherries, watching the new person with his hand still entwined with his sister’s.  
“So you and her al--” York was immediately cut off.  
“Okay. Listen the fuck up, fucktruck. You don’t know us, but here’s the deal.” York’s eyes got wide as Erika leaned toward him. “You use they or them when referring to either of us. Not any of that he or she bullshit unless permission is given. You fucking got that? Don’t just assume.”  
York looked over at the two of them, blinking a few times.  
“Are you two okay with your given names?”  
“Not especially, but we make do.” Erika rolled their eyes, setting out several cashews in front of them.  
“And they’re taller than you are?”  
“He is.”  
“And your last name is Dakota.”  
“Are you fucking stupid?”  
“What about instead of first initials, you just go by North for them since they are taller than you, and South for you because you---”  
“I go down on everyone?”  
“Wait, what?”  
“Nothing. You might find out later.”  
“What.”  
“I said nothing. Are you fucking dense?”  
“N-no. Just sounded like--”  
“You fucking heard nothing, York.”  
South glared at the bleach blond that had sat down between York and North at the end of their conversation.  
“Who’s this?” the blond asked, digging through his bag to pull out a bag of chips.  
“Twins. South and North. I met them in my not-math class. How’s your morning been?”  
“Decent. World History continues to be boring because everyone starts in Mesopotamia.” Wash offered his chips to the others, cocking his head when North refused. North had unlocked his hand from South’s while they had been talking, focusing on everything at the table while trying to ignore the loudness of the cafeteria around him. Wash extended his hand to North, waiting for the hooded eyes to meet his at his offer. Wash gave him a small smile, not forcing the issue, initially disappointed when North refused. Wash pulled a small container of blueberries out of his bag as well, ignoring York and South’s conversation about how dumb you have to be to wander into a Gender Studies class and not know until almost the whole way through the class.  
North took a few of the berries that Wash offered, only flinching slightly as the bleach blond’s hand rested on his knee. North’s hand covered his, trying to initially push it off before holding onto three of his fingers. Wash pushed the container of berries at North, opening his hand to offer it to North to hold, who took the opportunity. South noted the gesture and leaned over at York.  
“What the fuck is your friend doing to my brother?” South asked in a hushed tone.  
“Well, my roommate actually, looks to be holding their hand?”  
“Is he magical?”  
“Wait. What? The fuck do you mean?” York asked, pulling back from South momentarily before they yanked on his hoodie strings.  
“North doesn’t really let people touch him this quickly.”  
“Oh. That. Wash is like a cat.”  
“Excuse me?” Her whisper came out like a hiss. “What do you mean ‘he’s like a cat?’ That doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen a cat do.”  
“I mean, he has this ability to relax people just by touching them in the same way cats do when they are content.”  
“Ohhh. Shit, North, we have to go. The line at the bookstore is long as fuck.” North nodded, smiling at Wash before they left.  
South extended their hand to him as they walked to the bookstore, noting his contained excitement.  
“What did you do?”  
The excited shout coming from behind them gave away some of the surprise.  
“Gave him my number,” North explained, blushing.  
“You forward little fuck. You do like him.”  
“Sister, shhhh.”


End file.
